The race was won by Coole Cody, who had fallen in last month’s prestigious Paddy Power Gold Cup at the track when Smith’s steady star prevailed under Ryan Mania.
However, Coole Cody’s jump held over the last two hurdles under Adam Wedge, while the Yorkshire challenger went through the top of the penultimate before being slightly hampered at the last hurdle.
But Smith, who trains at Baildon Moor, believes this did not alter the outcome after Midnight Shadow was thrown by Zanza in a photo in the race for second place.
“He has gained seven pounds in his last victory. We were 11 pounds more than the winner and nine pounds more than the second horse, ”he said. The Yorkshire Post. “He has had a great race and we cannot complain about him, he has been absolutely brilliant.”
He reported that the horse, owned by Cyril and Aafke Clarke, had run the race well. “It’s great. He’s in the field as we speak. I was very satisfied. I couldn’t be more delighted with him and that performance. “
Midnight Shadow still has an entry into the King George VI Chase show at Kempton on Boxing Day if connections decide that the race, and increasing the trip to three miles, is appropriate.
However, Smith says no immediate decision will be made – this was Midnight Shadow’s third eye-catching race since setting a score for the 2021-22 campaign by finishing third behind Allmankind at Aintree’s Old Road Chase on Oct. 24. I’ll wait to see how he is for a week, “he added.
As for the winner, Coole Cody’s jockey Wedge was simply relieved to make up for last month’s mishap when his horse and Midnight Shadow were vying for the lead. History repeated itself when the two protagonists returned home.
Wedge said, “Once I got to the front, he just started taking me and enjoying it. Gallops and I knew he would not lie down. It’s a shame what happened last day, but it was brilliant that he left and did it today. The team has done a fantastic job to regain the horse’s confidence ”.
Winning trainer Evan Williams, whose Cappa Bleu chased the Smith-trained Auroras Encore at the 2013 Grand National, added: “With a lot of horses, you’re always nervous after a fall, but when this horse falls to the ground, he thinks it is! a bit of fun!
“If he never wins another race in his life, he’s a 10-year-old who has done nothing but try to help us every time he goes to a racetrack.”
Knight Salute maintained his 100 percent jump record by completing a four-timeout at the Bet365 Summit Juvenile Hurdle in Doncaster.
The Milton Harris-trained three-year-old made a brave display under Paddy Brennan and set up a scoreboard for next year’s JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
“It was tougher today, the terrain was deeper, I was compromised to the last thing I needed to fly, I did, but he’s good,” Brennan said.
“It’s a £ 60,000 race thanks to sponsorships, a great job from Milton and a lovely race to win on a Saturday.”
Regarding what’s next, Brennan said: “It’s hard to say, we’ll let him talk on the track, it will only get more difficult, but he has made enough money today to help Santa Claus. Milton is doing well, I really believed in him.
“He called me three times to tell me he was going to win.”
Threeunderthrufive made three of four over hurdles as the improving youngster forced into the December bet365 Rookie Chase by champion coach Paul Nicholls and jockey Adrian Heskin.
Although he was not impressed by the performance, Heskin was eager to point out that Shantou’s son is improving with each race.
He said: “The fences take a little while to jump here and your mind goes idle very quickly. He just falls asleep and performs an odd average jump. “
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Source: www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-12-12 13:13:45
